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Original poster

Have you had fun on holiday with very tight budget?

66 replies

Holidaycountdownbegins · 07/04/2022 06:56

I booked a beach holiday when i could afford it. In the couple of years since my income has dropped considerably. I don't want to cancel as the children are looking forward to it and, like many, a number of trips have been cancelled the past two years.

It'll be a very different holiday than planned. Maybe only a couple of evenings of proper eating out - and relaxing rather than trips.

Have others made this work on very tight budget?

OP posts:
Twizbe · 07/04/2022 06:59

Yeah.

See what you can pay for in advance to spread the cost.

Can you upgrade a meal plan to half board so you know what you've spent?

If self catering can you do some meal planning now and Google the supermarkets you have to choose from?

When I was a kid our family holidays had 2 days by the pool (I.e cheap) then 1 day out sightseeing, the 2 pool days etc.

Take a cool bag and ice packs if self catering so you can make picnic lunches.

Give the kids a daily allowance for things like ice cream souvenirs etc. take this in cash.

JustJam4Tea · 07/04/2022 07:02

How old are they?

We used to go to Scotland on holiday. As a kid my favourite bits were having picnic lunches, crust bread, cheese an apple. naffing on the beach and a treat of. A poke of chips.

Doing different stuff, being allowed to stay up late. Going for a walk on the beach in the evening…it’s all different.

Pinkflask · 07/04/2022 07:03

It’s doable. How old are DC? Mine aren’t that fussed about eating out - only really want pizza and don’t like long drawn-out meals. They would be very happy with chips on the beach for example! Is it abroad? A foreign supermarket shop is always massive fun. All those different crisps and biscuits! So that’s a bit more work for you but can save loads of money. And those nice 2euro bottles of wine…!

Mindymomo · 07/04/2022 07:07

Yes, we have. Stocked up on drinks, water, snacks and food for lunches from supermarket, which is easier if you are self catering. Eating out can be a pizza or pasta. Your family will remember the holiday, but won’t remember where and what you ate.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 07/04/2022 07:10

one meal out should be ok
enjoy the beach and the swimming and sunshine?
is it uk? are there castles of which you can get membership?

MrsLargeEmbodied · 07/04/2022 07:10

there might be deals if you buy things in advance

Baconking · 07/04/2022 07:16

My kids are happy with a beach and a pool.

How old are your children and where are you travelling to?

Original poster
Holidaycountdownbegins · 07/04/2022 07:18

8 and 11. I figure if we eat out midweek and on the last evening that will feel like a treat. And actually the youngest gets bored sat in restaurants. Yes foreign supermarket might seem fun. Own pocket money in cash should allow lots of treats. I am torn between worrying about money and thinking just relaxing and being somewhere new is fun in itself. (Beach holiday Greece).

OP posts:
angelsandinsects · 07/04/2022 07:21

Not having meals out probably affects you more than the DC as you'll be the one doing the cooking when you'd hoped to relax.
I think it's important to work out what makes it a holiday for the DC and go with what you can there. For mine, it's things like having those mini boxes of cereal or cocopops for breakfast, getting an ice cream every day and staying up late. Also, me & DH being more available and all doing new things together.
They know we're not going to be the family doing an activity in the morning and an outing in the afternoon as that's just not within our budget - or what we want to do on holiday - so don't expect that anyway

Ohdoleavemealone · 07/04/2022 07:25

Assuming it is self catering. Go to supermarket and get cereal, toast and pastries for breakfast.
Ice cream for lunch as an occasional treat.
Big trips are not needed. Pool, beach and a bit of exploring is enough. They are old enough to know you cannot afford to eat out every night.

angelsandinsects · 07/04/2022 07:26

I've just seen you're in Greece. That totally changes things as you'll have the beach and probably access to the pool and guaranteed sunshine. If you're like most people in the U.K. you won't have gone overseas for a couple of years and your kids will have a totally different holiday now than they did a couple of years ago.
At a similar age, ours often got bored in restaurants so we might go out for a drink before or after dinner instead having had a BBQ at home. They'd often then have a post dinner swim in the dark. That's the exciting stuff for mine which makes being on holiday different to normal life.

rookiemere · 07/04/2022 07:28

If you've got a decent luggage allowance bring along some treaty food things like the mixed box of cereals ( DS was only allowed these on holiday) .
Do some research in advance- these days many places have menus with prices on their websites or tripadvisor so you can get a feel of the cost of things and maybe pick out a couple of good value restaurants.

If you have to pay for loungers and umbrellas on the beach, on the first morning it may be worth buying some mats and an umbrella to save the ongoing cost.

I'm sure you and the DCs will still have a great time, Greece is somewhere that I would imagine there's lots of reasonable food options and stuff that could be bought for a home meal.

stodgystollen · 07/04/2022 07:29

They're old enough understand that it's a break for mum as well, and you can say mum doesn't want to eat out. Pasta and pesto or equivalent is fine for tea when you're on holiday especially if they can pick dessert out of the freezer! Relaxed bedtimes and plenty of time on the beach and it sounds like a lovely holiday.

Amdone123 · 07/04/2022 07:34

We had plenty of holidays on a budget when my ds was younger, at home and abroad. We always had brilliant times. In the very early days, I made the mistake of worrying / fretting about about what I couldn't give him ( could have easily ruined the actual holiday), until I changed my mindset and accepted it for what it was.
We had a daily budget, we'd shop in a supermarket, and we had an adventure. Çhildren don't want or even remember fancy meals ; they remember beach days and parents being happy, fun and relaxed.
Planning is key. Take from home what you can so you're not spending unnecessarily ( anything from plasters to tea bags ! ).
Enjoy the sun !

JustJam4Tea · 07/04/2022 07:35

Don’t get pressured into feeling like you have to go on trips, or hire things or go see a ‘thing’.

Pinkflask · 07/04/2022 07:38

Ok, a similar age to mine, who only ever want ham or cheese sandwiches and a packet of a crisps for lunch - they’re fine eating out but it really is wasted on them so they won’t miss that at all.

The last time I did a trip with DS I gave him his own spending money and said that any extra drinks, sweets, toys etc he wanted came out of that…in three days he spent £1 because nothing was important enough for him to waste his own money on! Obviously I bought drinks etc for him when we went in cafes but it really cut out the “can I have…?” - he saw a toy he really wanted but put it back on the shelf saying he could get it cheaper somewhere else!

Baconking · 07/04/2022 07:49

At that age they will love playing in the pool or building sandcastles and burying eachother on the beach! They don't want day trips looking at ruins.

Good idea from PP to buy beach mats and bring from home as hiring sun loungers can be costly.
Also get any inflatables/balls here from poundland/B&M/Wilko.

If you're self catering bring a small cool bag for lunch at the beach.

You will all have a great time. Set yourself a daily budget in advance so you know what you have to spend. You may find that some days you barely spend anything and therefore can afford a meal out the next night.
Try to include a daily ice cream as they will love that more than dinner in a restaurant 😋

ifonly4 · 07/04/2022 07:59

Of course it can work. You can take your own food out out with you in the day, get everyone onboard though so it's not all on you.

If money is really short you could cut one evening meal and have the money towards buying a pack of icecreams from supermarket (cheaper than individual) and a treat for each of the children from a shop that gives them something to do. Fish and chips one night would be cheaper than eating out, you can add a can of tinned beans and bread so you don't need to buy so many portions.

Take outdoor and indoor games, go for walks - if children younger find ones with playgrounds enroute, climbining areas for children. Do you research beforehand and find out what's open that's free or costs very little!

stringbean · 07/04/2022 08:13

If you're in Greece on a beach holiday you will have a great time. As long as you have sunshine and somewhere safe to swim your kids will be happy. I've come to this conclusion after many years of budget camping holidays in France - the weather made it so easy, kids had freedom to roam on the campsite and didn't notice or care that we only ate out once in the course of the holiday. The fact we were away somewhere different with different things to see and great weather was enough.

FayCarew · 07/04/2022 08:30

When I go on holiday, I go half board. If it is somewhere hot, you don't feel as hungry, so maybe one or two meals out, for the experience.

You can try local delicacy from normal shops

A bit like if you were visiting the UK you'd eat fish & chips on the prom, and maybe have a cream tea

Gowithme · 07/04/2022 08:50

The kids will love it. If you haven't already got some I recommend getting some blow up 'tyre' rings from amazon (about £4 and take up next to no space in packing) and a blow up ball. The amount of games and fun you can have with just those items at the pool/beach is endless. Have picnics with supermarket food on the beach. I wouldn't bother with beach mats, I'd just use towels to sit on.

Also if there's somewhere you really want to go/see and the entrance isn't too expensive then consider making your own way there on public transport rather than going on a tour. Often very cheap and you can go at your own pace once you arrive. Just read up beforehand on how public transport works and check out timetables.

You'll have an amazing time I'm sure and the kids will love it.

ConfusedByDesign · 07/04/2022 08:52

All our holidays are on a budget. We go self catering and do the same - have a couple of meals out.
Trip to the supermarket for breakfast items like eggs, bread, cheese, fruit, pasta, sauces, anything else that makes a quick meal that dc like.
We take cereal bars and mini juice cartons from home.
Then it’s usually late big breakfast, cereal bars and fruit for snacks during the day, maybe an ice cream, earlyish dinner. We find we never need a proper lunch so money saved there.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 07/04/2022 08:54

Greece is super cheap for food and drink.

Pinkflask · 07/04/2022 08:55

Good tip on doing stuff using public transport instead of a tour. My kids love going on buses and trains especially somewhere unfamiliar. And the presence of two nice kids goes a long way towards compensating for any language/timetable difficulties you might encounter!

Pinkflask · 07/04/2022 08:57

Once we did a mini cruise on the ferry to Rotterdam - all we did was go to an (amazing!) kids activity park place which was quite cheap but we got the tram there and I swear the ferry trip and the tram were two of the best things they’ve ever done in their lives!